Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Apologises for Discouraging Women Who Ask for Raises

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella apologised to employees for discouraging women in the company against asking for raises. His apology mail said that he was "completely wrong" in answering the question.

Nadella faced strong criticism after the Microsoft CEO had suggested on Thursday that women with "good karma" would not ask for raises. He was speaking at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing conference in Phoenix. Nadella also said that it was a "superpower" for women not to ask for equal pay with men. He said that having faith in the system would help women employees get the "right raises" in the process, Mashable reported. "What do you advise women who are interested in advancing their careers, but not comfortable with asking for a raise?" was the question Nadella was answering to.

The answer which the Microsoft chief gave might have offended many. Harvey Mudd College President Maria Klawe, also a member of Microsoft's board of directors, said that she would not agree with Nadella on the issue. Klawe, the moderator of the conference, referred to the time when she had been hired as Dean of Engineering at Princeton. She later discovered that she was being given $50,000 less every year than what she deserved. Klawe asked women in the audience to do their "homework." She also asked them not to be "stupid" like what she had been.

Nadella later sent his apology mail to the employees, where he appreciated Klawe's advice to women. "I believe men and women should get equal pay for equal work," Nadella wrote, "And when it comes to career advice on getting a raise when you think it's deserved, Maria's advice was the right advice. If you think you deserve a raise, you should just ask."

The email has also been published on Microsoft's website. Nadella also used his Twitter account to extend his apologies. Financial Review reported that, according to multiple studies, women were paid "considerably less than men for the same work." Even The US Census Bureau discovered that women were paid "roughly three quarters of the salary that men earn in the same role."

Was inarticulate re how women should ask for raise. Our industry must close gender pay gap so a raise is not needed because of a bias #GHC14

— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) October 9, 2014

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au